In Baldur’s Gate 3, there are some very solid character creation and customization functions, from armor, weapons, and creating the appearance of your custom Tav.
However, many players also wish that they could give theirOrigin Companionsa makeover, too. Sadly, there is no way to achieve this in the base game, but with some assistance from mods, players can customize the appearance of Astarion, Gale, Shadowheart, Lae’zel, Karlach, Wyll, Minthara, Jaheira, and Minsc.
How to Change Origin Companion Race & Appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3
To change the appearance and race ofyour Origin Companions, you will first need to download the appropriate mods, as well as the Baldur’s Gate 3 Mod Manager. The mods that are required to achieve this are known asAppearance Edit Enhancedand can be found on Nexus Mods. However, as you download this file, you will need to ensure thatyou download both the Appearance Edit Enhancedand Appearance Edit Origins files from the files tab.
Once you have downloaded these files, launchBaldur’s Gate 3 Mod Manager (BG3MM)and click the Go tab on this program. On the dropdown menu, now selectthe Open Mods Folderoption. You will need to extract the Appearance Edit Enhanced files and place them within this mod folder.
Now, go back into BG3MM and refresh the program. You will now see these mods onthe Inactive Modslist on the right side of the program. Next, you will need to download theScript Extender by going into theTools taband selectingDownload & Extract Script Extender.Once this is done, you will lastly need todrag the mod files from the Inactive Mods list on the right to the Active Mods list on the left, and export the order to your game through the button indicated in the screenshot below:
Now you’re ready to jump into the game. To do so, load upBaldur’s Gate 3by clicking theGotab and selectingLaunch Gamefrom the dropdown menu. you may either start a new game or load up a save from a previous file.
Once you have loaded your save, click on one ofyour Origin Companionsportraits in the party menu to switch to their perspective. In the action menu, you should now see an additional Action with the Disguise Self icon, titled Edit Appearance.
Upon clicking this, you will have one of three spell options,Resculpt, Mirror, and Respec.
Furthermore, this mod will also work alongside custom face and hair mods - as seen in the example below, where Astarion has been edited through the Resculpt function, becominga Drow Barbarianwith a completely new look.
Alternatively, you may choose to simply change their scars, eye color, or hairstyle, rather than their entire race or build. This can be achieved through the Mirror option - such asthe Astarion below,who has received a new hairstyle and face markings.
